Der Einsatz digitaler Technologien zur Messung der Bewegungsaktivitäten von Kindern und Jugendlichen – das Projekt „Physical Activity of Children and Youth in Luxembourg” (PALUX)

in Luxembourg Center for Educational Testing (LUCET); Universität Luxemburg; Service de Coordination de la Recherche et de l‘Innovation pédagogiques et technologiques (SCRIPT) (Eds.) Nationaler Bildungsbericht Luxemburg 2021 (2021)

In einer technisierten und digitalisierten Welt wird Bewegung häufig zu einer Randerscheinung. So zeigen aktuelle Studien, dass das verstärkte Nutzen digitaler Medien bei Kindern und Jugendlichen zu ... [more ▼]

In einer technisierten und digitalisierten Welt wird Bewegung häufig zu einer Randerscheinung. So zeigen aktuelle Studien, dass das verstärkte Nutzen digitaler Medien bei Kindern und Jugendlichen zu reduzierten Bewegungsaktivitäten führt (z. B. Kaiser & Jovy et al., 2017; Spengler et al., 2016). Gleichzeitig ist aus medizinischer Sicht jedoch ein Mindestmaß an Bewegung unabdingbar für die Gesundheiterhaltung; die Weltgesundheitsorganisation spricht von einer Stunde moderat anstrengender Aktivität täglich (WHO, 2010). Diesen (vermeintlichen) Gegensatz zwischen einem digitalen Lebensumfeld und ausreichender Bewegung aufzulösen und im besten Fall umzukehren wird in Zukunft wohl eine bedeutsame Bildungsaufgabe der Schule insgesamt und des Sportunterrichts im Besonderen sein. [less ▲]

Longitudinal Assessment of Physical Activity, Fitness, Body Composition, Immunological Biomarkers, and Psychological Parameters During the First Year After Diagnosis in Women With Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer: The BEGYN Study Protocol

in Frontiers in Oncology (2021), 11

Background: Moderate physical activity is associated with an improved prognosis and psychosocial outcome in breast cancer patients. Although exercise and physical activity are associated with multiple ... [more ▼]

Background: Moderate physical activity is associated with an improved prognosis and psychosocial outcome in breast cancer patients. Although exercise and physical activity are associated with multiple physiological and psychological effects, many of the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. The BEGYN study (Influence of physical activity in breast cancer patients on physiological and psychological parameters and on biomarkers) aims at identifying potential associations between the extent of physical activity, fitness, body composition, immunological biomarkers, psycho-emotional parameters, and the course of treatment during the first year after diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods: The prospective observational BEGYN study will include 110 non-metastatic breast cancer patients. The patients will be assessed during a base line visit prior to the initiation of the antineoplastic therapy and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The physical activity will be measured using a fitness tracker and a self-assessment diary during the entire study. Each visit will include the assessment of (i) cardiorespiratory fitness measured by spiroergometry, (ii) body composition, (iii) psycho-emotional parameters (quality of life, mental health, fatigue, depression, distress, anxiety, well-being), and (iv) extensive blood tests including routine laboratory, vitamin D, selenium and immunologically relevant biomarkers (e.g., leukocyte subpopulations and cytokine profiles). Discussion: Whereas most studies investigating the influence of physical activity in breast cancer patients focus on specific activities for three months or less, the BEGYN study will quantify the daily physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness of breast cancer patients based on objective measurements in the context of the oncological therapy for 12 months after diagnosis. The study will reveal potential associations between exercise, immune status and physical as well as psycho-emotional outcome and the clinical course of the disease. Moreover, complementary therapies such as Vit D and Selenium supplementation and parameters investigating the motivation of the patients are part of the study. Due to this holistic approach, the BEGYN study will guide towards confirmatory studies on the role of physical activity in breast cancer patients to develop individualized counselling regarding the recommended type and extent of exercise. [less ▲]

The Mediation role of ADHD Symptoms and Emotion Regulation in the association between Executive functions and internalizing Symptoms: A study among youths with and without ADHD and/of Dyslexia

in Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2021), 5

Objectives The present study aimed at combining previous separate research findings having shown that executive functions (EF) contribute to a large range of emotional and behavioral problems among youths ... [more ▼]

Objectives The present study aimed at combining previous separate research findings having shown that executive functions (EF) contribute to a large range of emotional and behavioral problems among youths with and without neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD. Within a unifying framework, it investigated the mediational roles of ADHD symptoms and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties in the association between various EF and internalizing symptoms. Methods The sample included 82 adolescents with ADHD, dyslexia, comorbid ADHD/dyslexia, and typically developing adolescents, thus showing varying EF deficits. Whereas EF (attentional control, inhibition, shifting, working memory) were assessed in behavioral tasks, parents reported on ADHD symptoms, and ER and internalizing (anxiety, depression) symptoms were assessed via self-reports. Results In two-path mediation analyses, ADHD symptoms and ER problems mediated the association between working memory and anxiety (via inattention and ER, a1d21b2 = − .27, 95% CI [− .58, − .04]; via hyperactivity and ER, a1d21b2 = − .19, 95% CI [− .42, − .02]) and depression symptoms (via inattention and ER, a1d21b2 = − .20, 95% CI [− .54, − .03]; via hyperactivity and ER, a1d21b2 = − .24, 95% CI [− .48, − .03]). Hyperactivity and ER, but not inattention and ER, mediated the association between inhibition and internalizing symptoms (predicting anxiety, a1d21b2 = .003, 95% CI [.0001, .009]; predicting depression, a1d21b2 = .004, 95% CI [.002, .009]) as well as between attentional control and internalizing symptoms (predicting anxiety, a1d21b2 = .01, 95% CI [.001, .03]; predicting depression, a1d21b2 = .01, 95% CI [.004, .03]). Conclusions These results offer an insight into how ADHD symptoms and ER problems mediate the association between EF components and internalizing symptoms, with potential implications for prevention and intervention measures. [less ▲]

Nationwide implementation of media literacy training sessions on internet safety

in Communications: the European Journal of Communication Research (2021)

Although numerous media literacy training sessions on internet safety for children and adolescents have been conducted, their number contrasts sharply with the few systematic studies on their ... [more ▼]

Although numerous media literacy training sessions on internet safety for children and adolescents have been conducted, their number contrasts sharply with the few systematic studies on their effectiveness. In this study, we describe the evaluation of nationwide-implemented training sessions on internet safety in Luxembourg, which included perceptions of learning outcomes and evaluations of implementation and effectiveness. Training data from 2011 to 2018 were analyzed, including 28,060 students and 5,031 teachers. Students reported pronounced learning effects, especially for younger students and for repeated training participation. Teachers greatly appreciated the implementation and effectiveness, which generally increased over the years. The perceived effectiveness of the training was significantly related to teachers’ planning to cover internet safety topics in future lessons. The present study shows that carefully planned and continuously evaluated training sessions on internet safety successfully support children’s understanding and teachers’ willingness to implement internet safety in their curriculum. [less ▲]

Schattenboxen um die psychotherapeutische Gesundheitsversorgung in Luxemburg

Article for general public (2021)

Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf den sozialen Zusammenhalt

in Benoy, Charles (Ed.) COVID-19 - Ein Virus nimmt Einfluss auf unsere Psyche (2021)

Trauer an Schulen. Basiswissen und Hinweise zum Umgang mit Sterben und Tod

Book published by Springer (2021)

BEGYN: Auswirkungen von Bewegung und sportlicher Aktivität bei gynäkologischen Krebspatienten auf Lebensqualität, Körperzusammensetzung und prognoserelevante Biomarker

Scientific Conference (2021)

The Mediating Role of ADHD Symptoms and Emotion Regulation in the Association Between Executive Functions and Internalizing Symptoms: a Study Among Youths with and Without ADHD and/or Dyslexia

in Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2021), 5(4), 396--412

Psychological contract violation or basic need frustration? Psychological mechanisms behind the effects of workplace bullying

in Frontiers in Psychology (2021)

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that can have serious detrimental effects on health, work-related attitudes, and the behavior of the target. Particularly, workplace bullying exposure has been linked to ... [more ▼]

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that can have serious detrimental effects on health, work-related attitudes, and the behavior of the target. Particularly, workplace bullying exposure has been linked to lower level of general well-being, job satisfaction, vigor and performance, and higher level of burnout, workplace deviance, and turnover intentions. However, the psychological mechanisms behind these relations are still not well understood. Drawing on psychological contract and self-determination theory, we hypothesized that perceptions of contract violation and the frustration of basic needs mediate the relationship between workplace bullying exposure and well-being, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes. Self-reported data were collected among employees with different working backgrounds (N = 1,257) via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk in an online survey. Results showed that feelings of contract violation and frustration of basic needs accounted for unique variation in well-being, work satisfaction, burnout, vigor, and turnover intentions, pointing to individual contributions of both psychological mechanisms. However, when controlled for frustration of basic needs, feelings of psychological contract violation were no longer a mediator between workplace bullying exposure and work performance. Helping employees to deal effectively with workplace bullying exposure might buffer its negative effects and reduce their experienced frustration of basic needs, preserving their well-being, vigor, and work performance and, eventually, prevent burnout. The present study is the first to concurrently elucidate the proposed psychological mechanisms and unique contributions of psychological contract violation and frustration of basic needs in the context of workplace bullying. [less ▲]